


A Three-Flat Problem: Ash, Bend, Choice

by reluctantabandon



Series: reluctantabandon's 221Bs [3]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: 221B Ficlet, F/F, Genderswap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-04
Updated: 2013-02-04
Packaged: 2017-11-28 04:37:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/670356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reluctantabandon/pseuds/reluctantabandon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>My first attempt at Fem!Lock!  And my first 3FP!</p><p>LapOtter came up with this GENIUS idea, which is that 221 has three flats: 221A, 221B, and 221C; and "why should 221B get all the stories?" So this is three related stories of 221 words each, each ending in a word that begins with A, B, or C.  The folks at Antidiogenes are always amazing!</p><p>Thanks again to the talented and merciless Nichellen, my beta.  May your whip hand never tire!</p><p>As always, these characters (however genderswapped) belong not to me but to the illustrious and revered ACD, and to Messrs. Moffat and Gatiss, long may they live to torture us.</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. Ash

**Author's Note:**

> My first attempt at Fem!Lock! And my first 3FP!
> 
> LapOtter came up with this GENIUS idea, which is that 221 has three flats: 221A, 221B, and 221C; and "why should 221B get all the stories?" So this is three related stories of 221 words each, each ending in a word that begins with A, B, or C. The folks at Antidiogenes are always amazing!
> 
> Thanks again to the talented and merciless Nichellen, my beta. May your whip hand never tire!
> 
> As always, these characters (however genderswapped) belong not to me but to the illustrious and revered ACD, and to Messrs. Moffat and Gatiss, long may they live to torture us.

It wasn’t brutal, but it wasn’t tender, either.

Messy, yes; fast, hard, and sloppy. Sherlock cupped Joanna’s face and angled closer, but Jo broke away.

“Married to your work, you said.” Jo backed toward the door, wrist to mouth, eyes wide, hungry. Hurt. Her lips were red.

Sherlock shoved her hand through her curls. “Well, yes, but that was then. Circumstances change.”

“I’m not a bloody experiment, Sherlock, you—“

“It’s not an experiment!” she shouted. It startled them both.

Over breakfast in the flat, Sherlock had been enthusiastic about a case; Jo had made tea and laughed and grinned and Sherlock had swept over and kissed her. Had looked down at Jo’s surprise, tasting jam, and had done it again.

“But Sherlock, you can’t just expect me to- to- fall in with this—“ Jo sputtered. She paced a bit.

“Jo,” Sherlock said, “you want this. I’ve seen you looking.” She was certain. Overconfident.

Jo looked incredulous. “I want! What about what YOU want, Sherlock? Your choices? Your, I dunno, feelings? You’ve never even hinted at this before.”

“Do I need to spell it out?” Sherlock shrugged, bit into jam-covered toast.

Jo moved quickly. “I need some air.” 

The door shut softly at the bottom of the stair.

Sherlock wondered when the bite of toast in her mouth had turned to ash.


	2. Bend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You bring balance. It’s…new. Let me at least attempt a balance myself, before you make the choice for me. For us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As is her way, Nichellen helped me whip this into shape, bless her!

Twilight had suffused the flat when Sherlock heard the door creak and Joanna’s weary step on the stair. Sherlock tried to compose herself, but stood feeling exposed and idiotic in the middle of the carpet. Jo leaned on the doorjamb, looking at Sherlock, eyes dark in the dim light.

“I’m sorry, Jo.” Sherlock spoke first. Jo smiled, tired. “Truly. I didn’t mean to push.”

Jo huffed. “That’s not it, Sherlock. Just…there’s more to this than what either of us want. There’s the work, and there’s…me, and I don’t want you to have to choose.”

“So don’t force a choice. You are…important to me. No, listen!” as Jo began to protest. “You bring balance. It’s…new. Let me at least attempt a balance myself, before you make the choice for me. For us.”

Jo sighed and moved forward to sit on the sofa. “You make it sound so simple…and complicated. I don’t want to just …accept this, and then crash and burn.”

Sherlock felt her anguished heart twist. “You don’t understand. I want this. You, me, all of it. We can have it, Jo.”

Jo stared. “Sherlock, we barely have it now. You think we can navigate a relationship, too?”

“We can.”

Jo looked crumpled and lost. She scrubbed her hand over her face and through short, dusty-golden hair. 

“Sherlock. You need to ...give; bend.”


	3. Choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nichellen, you are hereby heaped with laurels for your beta skills.

Sherlock darted, sat down beside Joanna before she disappeared again. “Jo, I…” Jo’s hands moved, twitched, stilled. Deliberately, Sherlock placed her own hands over Jo’s; met no resistance, felt a thrilling, thrumming tremble. Slid her hands under, so that Jo’s palms rested on hers, a light touch. Sherlock dared a tiny caress, slid fingers on either side of Jo’s wrists. She felt them both shiver, and tipped her forehead against Jo’s. Intriguing view; Jo’s impossibly blonde eyelashes, the sweet curve of the corner of her mouth. God, she wanted. Jo’s eyes were shut; Sherlock desperately wanted to open them, see the expression she had only caught by surprise before. 

“Jo.” Pleading. Jo’s impossible lashes flickered. _“Jo.”_

Jo breathed in, so close; a minute shake of her head, lips clamping shut. Despair. No. This couldn’t be allowed. Jo was _hers,_ was _hers_ , and could not be permitted to imagine that Sherlock didn’t want her. “Jo, look at me. Please.”

Jo’s eyes opened. Widened. She must see; she must. Sherlock closed the distance. Let Jo feel the tremble of her lips, the immensity of her holding back. Oh, god, she wanted. Let her see.

Jo breathed out, whisper-soft, relenting. Pressed close, lips warm, soft, pliant, hand rising to cup Sherlock’s cheek, so gentle.

“Jo,” Sherlock said, breathless, joyous. “You are always my choice.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this was a beast! Thanks to everyone who helped over at Antidiogenes, and general warmth and love and huggy snuggles to LapOtter for devising this most delicious torture.
> 
> And I cannot help but add even more adoration for my fabulous beta, nichellen, without whom this would be a far inferior work. Go read her stuff and give her some love!


End file.
